We Women (And Most Men) Are....

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

...inquisitive by nature. We ask questions to seek answers. We Google until we find answers, but when those answers come with photos...we turn into voyeuristic werewolves, devouring every resource we can find that might have "just a few more photos" for us to look at. And when you offer a "peek", well naturally, you want to see more.

I know that I do! A "peek" never satisfies my inquisitive nature, specifically when it comes to decorating or looking at houses...it is like eating a single nacho....quite impossible!

A week or so ago, I was looking at houses on the internet hard at work. The hubster walked past my computer and wanted to know why I was still looking at houses when we just purchased a new house!Why? Because I love looking AT homes for different layouts and INTO homes to see how they are styled and decorated. Maybe that's why I enjoy Fall so much...it gets dark early, people have their blinds open and the lights on, and I can see inside! The hubster and I have discussed my arrest and see it going down like this....as I'm being led away in handcuffs....."But officer, I was only peeping in the bedroom because she had a new comforter...and then I saw the new tablecloth in the dining room. I had to look!"

This is plausible to me. Everyone gets to look into our home in the evening...as you can see from the above photo, we still do not have blinds! :-) So, in honor of my speaking with someone about getting blinds, or just because, I thought I would offer you a "sneak peek" into our home...no you won't get arrested because I'm allowing you to look! ;-)

The photos are strategically taken, as I still have a little bit of mess in the floors. I don't know what photos and wall art I want to use where, so it is scattered about. And, I still haven't decided where I want to hang the floating bookshelves, so the shelves and the books are still in a box sitting on the floor.

While this guest bedroom is finished (below), the 2nd guest bedroom has no furniture, only a floor full of guitars. We have to get furniture.

We've truly been busy at work, busy at home and have had a little bit of traveling thrown in. I am making progress on that table I was working on and hope to be able to show you that project by the end of the week. The screening of the back porch has finally been completed...it had been raining quite a bit and stain doesn't dry well when it's wet outside.

Oh Benita, every little sneak peek you gave us was just as beautiful as I thought it would be !!! I want to lounge on that couch and chat and since you have my guest room ready, I may as well spend the night ( it's a 16 hour drive ya know, maybe 2 night's ??)I have to admit I'm a peeping Tammy, love to walk the dog and accidentally look into other people's window's if the blind's or curtain's are open, I'm bad !! Have a wonderful week !!! Love and hug's ,TT

Awww, you are just so sweet and kind to say that!! Thank you so much! You know you are most welcome to visit any time you are ready…it is a long drive so you will definitely need to spend a few days! I’ve been finding out about some great little shops that we could visit!! I’m so glad I’m not the only one who likes to look in houses to see how they are decorated…LOL Love and hugs to you girl!!

Hi Benita! :)Wowzers! It all looks amazing already! Love every little sneak peek! Don't stress over the shelves and the art work...sometimes you have to 'live' in a home for awhile before you figure out just the perfect spot to hang things! And you just moved in...although the more of your posts I read the more alike we are...I have been known to have a kitchen put together in a day after we move in...Type A...with a bit of OCD thrown in for good measure! ;)My favorite time to walk the dog is at night, so I can see in windows...you need to get a dog, it's a good excuse and will hopefully get you out of an arrest! ;) It all looks beautiful!Hugs, Kimberley

Hey girl! Thank you so much, I appreciate it! Ahhh, yes, we are very much alike. Before we even moved in, the kitchen had just about everything in place…I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it unless that was done. Like you, I have to get a feel for the house, that’s why things are still sitting around on the floors or piled in a closet. I will walk by an area and think that something I have will look good in that spot and then go track it down and hang it up. It’s definitely a process, but it does drive me insane to see it all “undone”…LOL. LOL @ walking the dog…that’s a good idea! I see others walking their dogs and figure that’s what they are doing…LOL. Thank you again so much! HUGS!!

Thank you so much Tina....I appreciate it! And yes ma'am, I will bring you whatever you need while you sit, read and relax! Since the porch is finished, you can also sit out there with a nice blanket to keep you warm while you relax! :-)

I just love it also. One of my favorite movies…REAR WINDOW….they peeked all the time..and with binoculars!  And they made up little stories and nicknames for each of the tenants….it was so cool and so wonderful! I think we all like to peek or we wouldn’t be reading each other’s blogs all the time…waiting for a glimpse into someone’s life…either with photos or words! :-)

Thank you so much and yes ma’am, I’m working on the “more”! :-) Hugs back to you!!

OMG Benita I am loving what I see. Ohhhhhh the light coming in and those gorgeous floors and beautiful details. Looooove it all. I cannot wait to see more. Love your seating area in front of the fireplace. So comfy and beautiful. Show us more lol!Kris

Kris, thank you so much! I appreciate it greatly!!! You are just so sweet!! I do hate that I have to get blinds to cover the windows and hide all of the light, but those blinds will probably be open all the time. When we looked at this house, those floors and all of the light coming in were 2 of the big points for us. And I had the area in front of the fireplace decorated before we signed the contract...LOL It's a small area and had just enough room for the chairs, table and rug. And it fit perfectly! Thank you again so much! You know you always have a place to stay if you ever venture down this way! Hugs!!

Hi Benita, Oh my Wow! I absolutely love peeking at your comforter! *wink*! Your house is coming along beautifully! So jealous of your mantel, and I spy a lovely French chair in the corner! Today is supposed to be 75F, far from the 105F we had last week, so I would love to slip into one of your cozy chairs by the fire!Have a fun week! Hugs, Christine

Hey girl! Thank you so much, you are so sweet!! We are diligently plugging along trying to get it all settled and pulled together! I’m ready for the much cooler weather so that I can put that fireplace to good use! We burned it for a few hours on Saturday while it was cool (the high was around 55) so that we could burn off whatever it was they told us to burn off. So the windows and doors were open and it was nice and chilly in the house and nice and toasty next to the fireplace…LOL. If you are ever out this way, you have a place to stay! Just let me know! :-) Hugs!!

Benita,Yes, I love looking at houses. So does my sister and brother. We used to tour open houses in new subdivisions and bought all the latest House design magazines to study all the details and color treatments. The trim above the window next to your fireplace is beautiful. Whatever window treatments you choose, be sure that gorgeous trim is highlighted, not lost.

Oh Judith, so do I...I just can't help it. They hold an open house in this neighborhood every Sunday and you know who wanders down to look at all the new floor plans and to see if they have had a decorator come in to decorate them for staging! I love looking at all the colors and trim work in the houses...even though it is the same builder, he's done something different in each house. The trim package above the windows was another big draw to this house. The only thing I will be putting up is wooden blinds and I hate even doing that. The trim is so pretty and I just don't want anything to take away from it. The lady quoting a price on blinds assured me that she would make sure they complimented the trim. Thank you so much! I hope to be posting more this week! And yes ma'am, it definitely is...LOL

The sneak peek is great, Benita! I love what I see :) Looking into people's homes at night is one of my favorite things to do...especially when I'm in Chicago visiting my daughter. Maybe we can share a jail cell.

HA HA HA…that is so right….I’ve told everyone to not bother calling me to bail them out because I will be sitting right next to them in jail…and I will let you have first choice on the bunk bed! LOL Thank you so much, you are so sweet and I appreciate it so much! I’m so glad to find out that I’m not the only one who has this little habit….I truly just can’t help it…LOL Hugs!!

Thank you so much!! I appreciate it greatly!!! And I would let you snuggle up with that magazine and a few others if you wanted....with a hot toddy or two...LOL ;-) I'm looking forward to seeing the updates at your home also....get finished with that painting...LOL Love and hugs!!!

Thank you so much Cecelia!! You are so sweet and I appreciate it so much!! LMAO…I do the same thing….I can barely get through a movie without commenting on the décor or colors or furniture or floors or anything else…I drive the hubster nuts sometimes. When we are home, I will pause the movie or TV show just so that I can get a better look. The rewind button on the remote is my friend! Hugs!!

I am so glad I did not have to drive all the way to Nashville to sneak a peek into your new home - yes, home - you at least have this area done - no longer just some house you bought. Hint: stain never dries in high humidity.

You could have driven down...got a break from the rain and a hot meal in addition to all the peeking...LOL And yes ma'am, it is finally turning into a home! That stain is still tacky feeling...I've been trying not to touch it every day to check on dryness...I know my fingerprints area probably already all over the place...LOL. I'm going to be needing your help...that help I mentioned a couple of months ago...I am finally ready to tackle that project. :-) I will be sending you an email in the next couple of days.

Benita,We are in good company! I love "peeking" too! Your new home looks gorgeous and I cant wait to see the full reveal. What really caught my eye is the gorgeous paint color on your living room walls. Its so soft and beautiful looking.

Could you please tell me the name of the paint color and the manufacturer? We are getting ready to paint our kitchen and I am looking for a color similar.

Teresa, thank you so much! I appreciate it greatly! I love it when other people share in my little hobbies! It is one of those things that binds us together! LOL

The paint is a beige color called Ostrich Feather. The type of paint is typical of what they put in all houses now...it's a flat finish (I much prefer a satin finish). The label on the can they left behind is a PPG brand, which I believe is sold by Sherwin Williams, but I'm not sure. As I was looking for the name of the color on the can, it struck me that I used this color years ago in one of my previous homes...it was a little déjà vu! Thank you again so much!!

Thank you Benita for the info on the paint color. In fact, I was going to Sherwin-Williams store today so I will inquire about getting a sample. I was looking at another SW color called Elder White which is a soft greyish-beige off white color but Ostrich Feather may win out!

the highest compliment a dyed in the wool claustrophobic cosy minimalist can give..."OH!! I could LIVE THERE!" LOL!seriously.it's lovely.and after i finished laughing at your faux arrest... i just drooled the rest of the way through the post!BEAUTIFUL...ly done. XOXO♥

Awww, thank you so very much…you are so sweet! I appreciate it so much! Now you know you are welcome to come visit anytime you decide to wander into the south!  Since all of the hoopla is over regarding the porch and closing problems, we have been enjoying the house. We have wonderful neighbors and everyone in the area has been so nice and helpful! The hubster has told me that if I don’t keep my nose off the windows of other people’s homes, that the faux arrest will really happen…LOL.

You are so funny...I love taking walks at night to do a little peeping. Pinterest has curbed that habit a bit but I get ya! Things are looking great at your new place. I'm really fussy about what I put on the walls because I have no patience to repair holes. I know you are going to do a great job because you are patient (I think!). Also love that you take sneaky little pics to get around the chaos---so me all the time!! ;-)

LOL…see, we are all the same way!  I love it!! Pinterest has helped me a little also, but I still have to go around looking…I also like touching different finishes in a house also….I know people wish I wouldn’t touch their stuff, but I always make sure my hands are clean…LOL I don’t like repairing the holes either…that is the worst job ever and I’ve tried to be careful about placement of things. I also try to watch for reflections so that no one sees me in my pink PJs…LOL Thank you so very much girl!! Hugs!!

Thank you so much AnnMarie!!! I appreciate it so much! Yep, at night is the best time...we get a better look that way...LOL I just don't understand why people don't go ahead and invite me in to look around...I know they see me out there...LOL Hugs!!!

Awww, thank you so much...you are so sweet and I appreciate your compliments greatly! The color of the floors were one of the things that attracted us to this house...I've always wanted dark hardwoods with white furniture...LOL Hugs!!

Good Evening Benita Dear,Your home is a stunning reflection of you-chic, classy and timeless. I am just like you with the walls-who wants to put nails in our brand new walls and then change our minds. I am super picky with them too and I have been already thinking of where I am going to put some of our Art.xoJemma

Thank you so much Jemma!! I appreciate it so much! I cannot wait to see your new home and all of the plans you have for it also! There was quite a bit of "angst" when we hammered that first nail! Love and hugs to you sweet friend!!

Thank you so much Sydney! I think that is one of the requirements of blogging...enjoy peeking into other people's homes...LOL. I've decided to jump on the One Room Challenge for that 2nd guest bedroom (if it isn't too late), so it will be finished within the next few weeks if I can still participate! :-)

Your home is beautiful! I am the same way with looking at houses, I am addicted. I also have questioned the creep factor when peeking in a house with the curtains open and the lights on. I am just driving, I don't get out and smush my face against the glass or anything. That would be a little much. That is why I adore home decor blogging, I get to peek into people's homes. They even invite me!

Thank you so much Emily, I appreciate it so much! I do love looking at houses and like you, never want to creep someone out or press my face up against their windows! :-) Blogging is the perfect opportunity to peek into someone's home as there is always an open invitation! Hope you have a great evening! :-)

Oh, I would love to see some photos of your new place. You are in Paris and I imagine it to be so beautiful...but of course, I do realize that fantasies of Paris are so different than realities of Paris, or any country, I suppose. But please do share some photos! I love seeing homes in different countries, to see the different styles of decor...we watch House Hunters International all the time! :-)